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A C. elegans screening platform for the rapid assessment of chemical disruption of germline function.
BACKGROUND: Despite the developmental impact of chromosome segregation errors, we lack the tools to assess environmental effects on the integrity of the germline in animals.
OBJECTIVES: We developed an assay in Caenorhabditis elegans that fluorescently marks aneuploid embryos after chemical exposure.
METHODS: We qualified the predictive value of the assay against chemotherapeutic agents as well as environmental compounds from the ToxCast Phase I library by comparing results from the C. elegans assay with the comprehensive mammalian in vivo end point data from the ToxRef database.
RESULTS: The assay was highly predictive of mammalian reproductive toxicities, with a 69% maximum balanced accuracy. We confirmed the effect of select compounds on germline integrity by monitoring germline apoptosis and meiotic progression.
CONCLUSIONS: This C. elegans assay provides a comprehensive strategy for assessing environmental effects on germline function.
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